of massachusetts in the united states senate. now, we know about his service on the senate foreign relations committee. i want to talk about two other committees that he served on, the senate finance committee that i had the privilege of serving with him. there is no senator that has taken the fiscal challenges of our country more seriously or understands the impact that our fiscal house has to our national security interests. in fact, during his confirmation hearings, i was very pleased that he mentioned the need for us to get our fiscal house in order. and he is one of the -- i think understands that and understands the commitment he has, once confirmed and once heading the state department, to help us in bringing about fiscal sanity here in the united states, to do what is necessary worldwide but also to do it in a most cost-effective way. i also served with senator kerry on the small business committee, and the small business community didn't have a better advocate when senator kerry was chairman of that committee. and i was